Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Crystal Tablet (1)
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The sound of the rain woke me earlier than usual.
My bed was right next to the window, and when I drew the curtains, I saw it was pouring relentlessly.
I don't usually mind the rain, so it wasn't so bad... Ah, but thinking about today's schedule, I was starting to dislike it a little.
“Kkyuing!”
“Ppoyo! Ppoyo!”
Geumyong and Nix were already up and in the middle of a game of tag.
“Alright, you two, stop playing and come here. Time to eat.”
At the word ‘food,’ Geumyong and Nix flew to me faster than anyone.
As I fed gold to Geumyong and mana to Nix, I looked around. Perhaps because it was so early, everyone else was still asleep.
My previous companions would be sprawled all over my bed in the morning, but Rina and Hanna were each sleeping in their own.
Thanks to that, I slept comfortably, but it felt a little empty.
Ah, of course, I'd draw the line at Alpen, though.
“Burp!”
Having finished his gold first, Geumyong let out a burp and went over to playfully bother Nix.
“Ppoyo!!”
“Kkyuiiing…”
He got pecked on the head by Nix's beak, who was furious at being disturbed during his meal, and fled.
Come to think of it, it was almost time to receive the second reward.
In a few days, I'd be heading back to the Golden Valley.
Honestly, I wouldn't ask for more if it brought back something as good as last time, but I wasn't getting my hopes up.
I'd been feeding it gold to its limit every day, but the items it ate this time weren't anything special.
It didn't even eat any mythic-grade items this time.
Ah, but of course, it's not like I could let it eat my sword.
After feeding Nix all the mana and stroking him a couple of times, I sensed a presence to my left.
“Oh? Sir Hyeon-ung, you're up early.”
“Good morning, Alpen. You could have slept in.”
“It's fine. I went to bed early yesterday, so I got plenty of sleep.”
“Alright then, go wash your face. I'll order breakfast.”
“Oh, thank you.”
A little later, Rina and Hanna woke up too.
“Did you all sleep well?”
“I never knew sleep could feel this good.”
“Mister, I'm going back to sleep.”
“What about breakfast?”
“I'm skipping.”
So Rina's not a morning person.
There was nothing urgent, so I let her be and ordered breakfast.
Knock, knock—
I opened the door to find Luke with a cart full of food.
“Good morning, Sir Hyeon-ung.”
“Thanks again for this.”
“Don't mention it. More importantly, seeing how much you've ordered, you must have exerted yourself quite a bit last night.”
I think I know what he's misunderstanding, but I have no desire to explain.
Exerted myself, my ass.
I ordered a lot because Hanna eats a lot.
“Enough with the nonsense. You can go now.”
“Yes. Ah, right, this is what you asked for the other day.”
“Asked for?”
“Didn't you ask me to pick out some good sightseeing spots in Kramis?”
Ah, that's right.
Luke handed me a crumpled, folded piece of paper.
It was a tourist map of Kramis.
I tried to give him some money, but he refused, saying he'd received plenty last time, and left.
That's not like the money-grubbing Luke I know.
Well, I'll make sure to tip him next time, I thought, as I brought the food back to the room.
“Let's eat!”
While eating breakfast, I examined the map Luke had given me.
“Sir Hyeon-ung, what's that?”
“Places we'll be visiting?”
It showed various tourist spots, like restaurants and dessert shops popular with the residents, and the reservoir park we visited before.
There were some places we'd already been, but many new ones too. The only downside was that a significant number of them were outside the castle walls.
In particular, there was a sea a day's ride to the south, but for me, it was a pie in the sky.
Summoned individuals are strictly forbidden from leaving the castle.
Except when I get prior permission to go pick up new arrivals, I can't leave.
“Everyone, take your time eating and get some rest. I have to go somewhere. We can go shopping when I get back.”
“Where are you going? Oh…”
Hanna asked with cream from the soup smeared all over her mouth, so I wiped it off as I answered.
“To see the Lord.”
“Ah, will you be long?”
“I'll be back before lunch.”
Since it's raining and I'm feeling a bit restless, I should also stop by the Magic Tower alone.
Last time, Timi, being a mage, was curious about the Kramis Magic Tower, so I took her, but my current companions didn't seem very interested.
I told my companions to rest and left the Kabisa alone.
When I got down to the first floor, the rain had grown even stronger.
Swoooosh—
It was like a hole had opened up in the sky.
I wonder if we can even go shopping in this, I thought, pulling a raincoat from my inventory.
I considered putting it off, but the Lord must be waiting on pins and needles for news of the Harpy Queen.
Besides, he said he'd prepared a reward for me this time.
I checked my attire one more time and stepped out into the rain.
It was a high-quality raincoat, so the water didn't seep through, but the downpour was so heavy it almost hurt.
A day like this called for a savory pancake and a glass of rice wine... no, some spicy stir-fried pork or tofu with kimchi would also hit the spot.
Maybe after we're done with shopping, I'll stop by the Golden Lion Guild and pick up some ingredients.
Lost in these thoughts, I arrived at the Lord's castle before I knew it.
The guards were also standing watch under a makeshift tent, bundled in thick rain gear.
“Excuse me…”
“Ah, it's the Pioneer. Hey, Hans, you go guide him.”
“What? But when we have outside visitors, the senior guard is supposed to... Ouch!”
The man in the green raincoat kicked his colleague in the shin.
“Hey, you really expect me to move in this rain?”
“I-I'll be right back.”
Normally, a senior guard is supposed to provide the escort when entering the castle.
Passing the buck to the junior guy... some things are the same everywhere, I guess.
I was escorted to the front of the Lord's office.
“You'll need to shake the water off over there before you go in. You know where the office is, right? Just speak to the knight at the door.”
“Yes. One moment.”
I stopped the guard as he was about to turn away dejectedly and took out 5 silver from my inventory to give him.
He was just doing his duty, of course, but it wasn't supposed to be his job.
Besides, unlike my own, the guard's raincoat seemed to be of poor quality. He was soaked to the bone, looking like a drowned rat, which bothered me a little.
“Thank you for your trouble, guiding me in this rain. It's not much, but…”
“No. I can't accept this…”
He's even conscientious.
“If I don't tell anyone, who's going to know? Have a drink to wet your throat after your shift.”
“Oh, my. Thank you very much.”
Seeing him bow his head deeply and walk away with a brighter expression made me feel a bit better.
I thoroughly shook the water off, straightened my raincoat, and entered the office building, heading up to the second floor.
I asked the knight on duty to announce my arrival and then entered the office.
“Oh, you're here?”
The Lord greeted me warmly, but once again, he was buried under a mountain of documents.
“I apologize for not coming sooner.”
“Not at all. I'm just glad you came through this rain.”
“I figured you'd be waiting, my Lord.”
I handed him the letter and the video recording crystal.
“Thank you, as always. You must be soaked. I'll make you a cup of hot tea, so have a seat over there.”
I sat on the sofa, and after a short wait, the Lord brought over a fragrant, steaming cup of tea.
“That envoy bastard gave it to me as a gift. It doesn't taste great, but the aroma is nice.”
It was indeed a bit astringent and bitter.
“The festival started yesterday. Did you enjoy it?”
“As a matter of fact, I had a great time with my companions.”
“You need days like that. The food from your world is quite delicious. That tteokbokki, that was right up my alley.”
The residents don't seem to like it much, saying it's too spicy, but I guess the Lord, being from another world himself, has a tolerance for spicy food.
“Tteokbokki is delicious, isn't it? It's even better with fried snacks.”
“I'll have to try it that way next time. By the way, do you remember I said I'd prepare a reward for you?”
“Ah, yes.”
Last time, you couldn't come to the castle because of the envoy, so I said I'd have it ready for your next visit.
“Wait a moment.”
I wondered if he was going to let me into the vault again, but unfortunately, that didn't seem to be the case.
He went over to his desk, piled high with documents, and brought back two silver plaques.
“I gave it a lot of thought.”
“Pardon?”
“As the Pioneer, you must earn plenty of money and have good equipment.”
“Haha... I get by, I suppose.”
“So I decided to give you what you would want the most.”
What is he giving me that requires such a build-up?
“Take these.”
[You have acquired Mount Permit x1.]
[You have acquired Free Pass x1.]
Uh... um...
“Summoned individuals cannot summon mounts within Kramis without prior permission, but from now on, you are the exception. The same goes for the pass.”
They're both nice, but they feel a little underwhelming compared to the grand build-up.
Being able to summon a mount would be convenient, but it's not like I feel greatly inconvenienced without one now.
The pass is a bit better, but I'm still bound to the Crystal Tablet, so if I don't return within a week, I'll still cough up blood and die.
Besides, if I really put my mind to it, I could probably find a way to sneak out anyway.
“Thank you.”
Still, I bowed my head and expressed my gratitude, appreciating the thought he put into it.
“You don't seem very pleased, do you?”
“No, that's not it.”
“That's why I prepared one more thing.”
There's more?
The Lord grinned and took a small pouch from his breast pocket, handing it to me.
It couldn't be money, and when I took it, it was incredibly light.
“Open it.”
[You have acquired Crystal Tablet Fragment x1.]
A Crystal Tablet Fragment?
[Crystal Tablet Fragment (Mythic)
A fragment created by gathering the weathered dust of the Crystal Tablet, which retains a mysterious power. Although its capacity is smaller than the full Crystal Tablet, it can be used as a medium for a blood contract in the same manner.
-Blood Contract.
The curse of Blanky, the God of Blood, will activate if you are beyond a certain radius from the Crystal Tablet for about a week.]
So what Misha said was true.
The Lord had confirmed it before, of course, but seeing it with my own two eyes was a different feeling altogether.
“I've moved your contract from the Crystal Tablet to this fragment, which was made by collecting the dust that has been slowly weathered away from the Crystal Tablet by the wind over the 50 years I've been Lord.”
…Wait a minute, this?
“Excuse me, my Lord? If my contract is bound to this crystal fragment, does that mean…”
“That's right. Unlike the other summoned, you are now, for all intents and purposes, a free man.”
My God…
I never would have imagined.
“And with the Free Pass, you can leave Kramis whenever you wish.”
I was expecting a decent legendary item or something, but this was an unbelievable reward.
What on earth is the Lord thinking?
I was grateful, I really was, but without me, he wouldn't be able to contact the Harpy Queen anymore.
Is he testing me?
“To be honest, I'm a little bewildered. I don't understand why you would give me something like this. To put it bluntly, if I were to just disappear, you wouldn't be able to contact Lady Alice anymore…”
“I don't think you're the type to give up on the Labyrinth, am I wrong?”
He's not wrong about that.
I have my goal of clearing the 100th floor and obtaining the Orb of Wishes.
But I never mentioned anything like that to the Lord…
“I heard you used an Orb of Wishes to bring your companions to the outside world. Ah, and I also heard it wasn't one you got from clearing the 100th floor, but a fragment with an 'S' on it.”
I was even more shocked than before.
I'd never said a word about it, yet he knew the details better than anyone.
“Well, that's…”
“Judging by your reaction, I'm right. Those angel bastards have looser lips than you'd think.”
It seems the news leaked to the angels through the helper.
Then again, as the Lord of Kramis, he's bound to have connections with the angels.
“That's correct.”
“With a heart that cares for your companions like that, I believed you wouldn't run away even if I gave you this. No, actually, it doesn't matter if you do.”
It doesn't matter if I run away?
“If you obtain another one, would you be willing to use it for Alice?”
Ah, now I get it.
“But Lady Alice is a monster, not a companion…”
“I've already confirmed it with the angels. They wouldn't confirm anything about Alice specifically, but they did say an Orb of Wishes S could bring a living monster to the outside world.”
The Lord really does love Alice.
“But… there's no guarantee I'll ever get another one.”
Only Geumyong knows what this next reward will be.
“I don't care how long it takes. If you grant my request, I will give you everything. I will tell you every secret of this world that I know.”
I could see the intense sincerity in the Lord's eyes.
“Would the angels stand by and do nothing?”
“If I can be with Alice again, I'm not afraid of something like that.”
He really does love Alice.
“I'm sorry. There's no guarantee I can get another one, and even if I did, I have my own uses for it.”
It was touching, but it was an unrealistic request.
If I were to get another Orb of Wishes S, I planned to use it to remove the memory or number restrictions on my companions.
“I suppose it was too much to ask... Thank you for being honest.”
“What? No…”
Thank you?
I expected him to get angry or threaten me, to be a bit pushy about it…
“If you actually got one and just hid it, it would be pointless, so it's better that you're honest like this. After all you've done for me, I suppose I was being too greedy.”
He must have so many lingering feelings, yet he's admitting it so cleanly. It's quite remarkable.
The more I get to know him, the more I realize our Lord is a decent person.
“Thank you for understanding. But, my Lord.”
“Yes?”
“It's not certain, but I think I might be able to grant your wish even without an Orb of Wishes S.”